Sun Microsystems Buy Out Threatens X Prize Contestant Neil Young

I just saw a tweet that

Neil Young is worried that because Oracle bought Sun Microsystems, his LincVolt hybrid car business will be excised from the project list.

The LincVolt project is an entrant in the X Automotive Prize and Neil Young has partnered with SUN to make it happen.

Linc Volt is a classic 1959 Lincoln Continental Mk IV that has been re-powered by Neil Young and a team from Wichita Kansas with a new series-hybrid system and now runs on electricity produced by a natural gas powered generator.

Java technology is a playing a part in this cool project! Perrone Robotics (the team behind Tommy Jr, the autonomous vehicle at JavaOne 2008) has installed sensors that use Java technology to monitor performance elements of Linc Volt as the team travels down the road. This data is displayed on a touch-screen panel in the car. In the future when the team starts long distance testing we will be displaying this information on java.com!

The LincVolt is a Lincoln Continental Mk IV convertible manufactured in 1959 and is going a renovation to be powered by a new series-hybrid system.  At 19.5 feet long, this is one big car.